Networking strategies. What really matters is: 1.

A hub – the one with the more direct connections - is important but where those connections lead to…. If all connections are (f.ex.) in the same cluster (a social group, co-workers etc) there is no way to have access to the whole picture of the network or else there is limited access in resources. The hub has usually the advantage of trust: the more an actor is trusted the more likely other people initiate a connection with him (tie with the popular maximize the status of the actor) 2. A broker -the one that is between clusters or two important constituenciescan control the flow of the information and have access to a broader diversity of information or detecting opportunities (Burt, 1992). A broker’s good strategy would be not to put effort into transforming the weak ties in strong ties or prevent weak ties from becoming strong, but optimize the network by establishing new relationships so that he can have access to resources and people that previously he couldn’t reach (Bunt and all, 2005). 1. The nodes on the periphery of a network (bridges or brokers) are wellpositioned to be innovators, since they have access to ideas and information flowing in from other clusters. 2. The best visibility into what is happening in the network and an excellent position to monitor the information flow has the one with the fewest jumps between people in the network (seen Krebs, 2010. Social Network Analysis, A Brief Introduction) 3. Peripheral ties maybe connected to networks that are not yet visible. They can provide very important resources for fresh information not available inside the network. 4. Who is in your network neighborhood? who can you reach? A 3 step connection changes the length of the path significantly. The "small world" in which we live is not one of "six degrees of separation" but of direct and indirect connections < 3 steps away (Friedkin, Burt). 5. Trust can be a choice behavior (Kramer, 1999) not a psychological state. So, if there is a potential benefit from engagement, copy with the trust dilemma: assess the risks of vulnerability. So, truck the path, revise your possibilities, redefine your target. Think in terms of relational dynamics, Search for the right mix of strong and weak ties and Optimize your network structure to increase opportunities.